Do you know how to grow a company with 200+ employees worldwide from a bold idea that started in a garage? At Opinov8, we can proudly say we do!

Meet Opinov8 Co-Founders Craig Wilson, co-CEO | Commercial, and Christian Aaen, co-CEO | Technology. Though their daily responsibilities are diverse, their friendship and shared vision have built a strong partnership, as well as a thriving global software development company.

In this interview, they share how Opinov8 began, the exciting milestones along the way, and the philosophy that drives the company today.

How did you come up with the idea to start Opinov8? 

Craig Wilson (CW): I remember the moment clearly — it was in the Holiday Inn where we discussed the concept. We both wanted to do something different from what we were doing before.

‘Opinov8’ means having an opinion on innovation. We both have strong opinions, and having an opinion on innovation was the core of what we wanted to do. We wanted to apply that to how software and products are built. Not just sitting back and taking instructions, but becoming a true Technology Innovation Partner — using Opinov8 as a platform to create real business value for clients.

Christian Aaen (CA): We believed that the market needed a more holistic approach to what was traditionally known as “outsourcing”. We wanted to place business objectives at the center of every client relationship. Technology is an enabler, but business strategy should drive the solution. That principle became Opinov8’s DNA.

Why did you choose Ukraine as one of the main countries for your office?

(CW): Ukraine was a natural choice. Christian lives in Kyiv, and we had both worked in the Ukrainian market for many years. Despite global challenges, Ukraine remains our center of gravity and a source of exceptional talent.

(CA): The reason why I ended up in Ukraine is obviously because of the highly skilled engineers and a culture that feels very close to what I knew growing up in Western Europe. Those remain the strongest reasons for our continued commitment to Ukraine.

Tell us about your first steps at Opinov8, what was the path you took to get to where you are today?

(CA): Our journey began in April 2017 — in a small office above a garage. Yes, just like Google (laughs). Our very first client came through a friend, part of the classic ‘three F’s’ — friends, family, and fools.

As we've been in the business for so many years and in the industry, we have a good network — a network we have cherished and built up over many years. We have almost broken our backs to not disappoint. So, yes, a good network is really what got us going. 

We saw it as a chance to start with a blank slate. From our experience in larger organizations, we have witnessed the limitations of older, on-premise legacy systems that struggled to scale in a fast-changing business environment. We didn’t have that burden. Instead, we could take full advantage of cloud-native infrastructure, scalable applications, and modern digital platforms, creating a foundation that could grow as fast as the business itself.

You are bound to run into trouble if you are not thinking through the entirety of the business (not only the business model but also the operating model).

You need to have long-term strategic glasses on, and you need to be bold. 

One of our earliest commitments was to prepare for remote work. We said: “In five years, Opinov8 should be ready to manage 40% of our people working remotely.” That mindset was built into our systems, investments, and processes from the start. And then, in March 2020, the pandemic made us 100% remote overnight — a challenge, but also validation of our remote-first, time-zone optimized delivery model.

We had the opportunity to do things right — without legacy slowing us down — and that was incredibly exciting. Just as important, we wanted to build an organization that could scale sustainably, with no single point of failure, ensuring resilience and long-term growth.

(CW): I remember sitting with Christian one summer, sketching ideas on a piece of paper as we thought about our branding and positioning.

In our previous roles, we had seen organizations where the culture was tied too closely to the leadership. The company revolved around a few individuals, creating an ecosystem dependent on them. We knew we didn’t want that. Our vision was to build a company where the culture belonged to the organization and its people, not just its founders. Opinov8 had to be able to operate with us, but also without us — without creating bottlenecks or negative dependencies.

That day, while sitting on a sunny terrace, we outlined our six core principles. They remain as true today as they were then, guiding how we work and grow. From the beginning, we wanted Opinov8 to have a clear cultural identity — something people could connect to and believe in. Just as systems and processes are critical to scaling a business, so too is creating a strong and authentic innovation-driven company culture.

(CA): We had many entertaining and informal conversations at the beginning, but the real turning point came when Craig and I were both involved in bringing private equity investment into the company where we previously worked. That experience was a mental milestone — it showed us what we did and didn’t want to replicate in our own venture.

In those organizations, we often saw too much focus turned inward, with competing internal interests distracting from the real priorities. This kind of behavior shifts attention away from market dynamics and client needs.

At Opinov8, we made a conscious decision to do the opposite. Every day, we work hard to maintain a client-centric, market-driven focus, ensuring that our energy goes into creating value for both our people and our clients. That philosophy is not just a mindset; it’s embedded in our company's operating model and organizational culture.

What was the hardest part in the early stages of the company’s growth?

(CW): The hardest part in the early stages is that you truly live and breathe every step you take. Every challenge feels personal and emotional.

It’s not just a job — it’s your family, your future, your entire universe. When something goes wrong (and many things do), you take it personally and work tirelessly to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

Growing a company is never easy. Finding the right people, attracting top talent, and keeping them engaged are among the toughest challenges. And those challenges don’t disappear with time — they remain part of building and scaling a successful business every single day.

(CA): Another big challenge in the early days was finding the right partners to collaborate with. When you’re starting out, you take everything personally — every detail matters, and every decision feels critical. In the beginning, it was tough. We handled everything ourselves, from basic operations to complex delivery — a true full-cycle startup experience!

Today, it’s easier because we’ve built a strong, capable team that can share responsibilities and tackle challenges together. But those early struggles taught us resilience and the importance of the right people and partnerships.

What have been the biggest challenges you’ve had to overcome?

(CW): One of the biggest challenges we faced together came when COVID-19 hit. Unfortunately, we had to say goodbye to some very talented people, which was an incredibly difficult decision.

At the same time, we made the choice to sell our operations in Spain, allowing us to sharpen our strategic focus. It was a true test of resilience — navigating uncertainty, adjusting our strategy, and then quickly pushing forward again.

Getting through that period was one of the toughest parts of our journey, but it also reinforced our ability to adapt and grow stronger as a company.

(CA): But it also helped us realize that we had built an organization where our core team stood by us through the hardest times — as well as the good ones. We got to know each other on a deeper level, and true trust was built. When challenges hit, how people respond says a lot about their character.

It wasn’t just us as business owners worrying about our families, our investment of time, and the future of the company — everyone across Opinov8 felt the pressure. Yet, working through those moments together strengthened the bonds within our team, creating a foundation we can continue to build on.

My sister once told me: ‘the sum of problems is always the same’. I think there’s truth in that. I still worry about many things, but they no longer feel as fundamental or life-threatening as they did back in those first months of the pandemic.

One of the biggest reasons is that we’ve built a team and culture that truly cares about the company as much as we do — and that’s something I’m incredibly proud of.

What are you most proud of regarding the company? What do you think makes Opinov8 different?

(CW): We’re proud of many things. Above all, I’m proud that we support and nurture over 200 Opinov8rs and their families around the globe. With our HQ in the UK and development centers in Ukraine, Egypt, Colombia, and across the EU, we bring together worldwide teams that unite diverse talents and perspectives to deliver innovation without borders. Watching individuals grow and achieve extraordinary things has been one of the most rewarding parts of building this company. I’m proud that they have chosen us to be part of their journey.

When it comes to client engagements, we fight like Mike Tyson. We step into the ring with focus, strength, and determination — and deliver results that many larger companies would struggle to match.

What makes us different is the talent and mindset of our people. Our innovators bring their own perspective — what we call that “extra 10%.” It’s more than just writing code, it’s the way they think, supported by the freedom they have within our philosophy, systems, and processes.

We’ve built a balance: structured and consistent systems, but with enough space for creativity and innovation. That freedom within a framework is our secret sauce, and it’s what adds real value for our clients. It’s also what makes me most proud of Opinov8.

(CA): Yeah, I totally agree. As the German-American economist Theodore Levitt once said: ‘Organizations exist to enable ordinary people to do extraordinary things.’ For us, that means combining people and skills in a way that allows individuals to have a greater impact than they ever could alone. That is the environment we believe we’ve created at Opinov8.

Another thing I’m proud of is our authentic culture. We don’t pretend to be perfect — we are people, and we are open about it. When challenges arise with clients, we face them directly and fix problems transparently. That honesty makes us different, and it’s something I truly value.

We also hold a simple but powerful principle: we never over-commit and under-deliver. When we commit, we follow through with everything we have — towards our clients and towards our people. Doing what we say and saying what we do may sound basic, yet it’s a core belief that defines who we are and how we build trust.